Decoding arrangement



Dec. 5, 1961 H. 1 LAMBERT ErAL 3,011,618

DECODING ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 51 Nklo?? ATroRNEYs Dec. 5, 1961 H. L. LAMBERT Erm. 3,011,618

DEcoDING ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet -2INVENTORS HARRY L. LAMBERT PAUL F. PAGE ALTON G. SNYD M5524 ATTRNEYslished States Patent 3,011,613 DECODING ARRANGEMEN'I Harry L. Lambert,West Hartford, and Paul F. Page and Alton G. Snyder, Newington, Conn.,assignors to Royal Mcee Corporation, Port Chester, N.Y., a corporationof New York Original application May 27, 1958, Ser. No. 738,066, nowPatent No. 2,932,375, dated Apr. 12, 1966. Divided and this applicationJan. 28, 196i), Ser. No. 5,210

1 Claim. (Cl. 197-20) This invention relates to a novel arrangement forcontrolling the operation of a business machine and more particularlyrelates to a novel apparatus for controlling the selective poweractuation of thirty-two or more separate operating linkages of atypewriter, or like machine, using a tive level code as the controlinput.

This is a divisional application from our copending application SerialNo. 738,066, tiled May 27, 1958, and entitled Decoding Device, nowPatent No. 2,932,375.

There are many conventional data processing systems, such as Teletypecommunication equipment, in which a ve level binary code is used in therecording, transmitting and reading of infomation. The maximum number ofdifferent on-od combinations in such a code is thirtytwo; however it hasbeen found necessary in many cases to be able to provide more thanthirty-two dilierent code combinations whereby a corresponding number ofdierent operating linkages ol a machine may be controlled. in such caseshigher level codes have been res-orted to in order to obtain this largernumber of on-oft code combinations.

One object of the instant invention is to provide a novel arrangementfor increasing the number of different operating linkages of a machinewhich may be actuated While using a given level code.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel decodingarrangement for a data processing system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel decodingarrangement for business machines .vhereby a precedence code is used torender operative one or the other of two groups or' control lines.

Still another object of the inventionV is to provide a novel decodingarrangement for controlling the operation of thirty-three or morelinkage actuators ot a business machine whereby two groups o1 controllines to said actuators are selectively connected to the output lines ofa decoding means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel decodingarrangement whereby most of the output lines of a decoding means areeach selectively connectable to two control lines through two-way meanswhich are Operated under the control of at least one precedence codeoutput line of said decoding means.

Other objects and many Vof the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerels, unless otherwise stated, designate like parts throughout theiigures thereof and wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevational View showing the construction of a boostervalve which is used in conjunction with the instant apparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates the circuit diagram symbol used for o G. 3 definesVone type of circuit diagram for the instant apparatus.

FlG. l defines a circuit diagram for the claimed embodiment oftheinstant invention.

The control apparatus constituting the instant invention may be used ina data processing system which is sellers Patented Ecc. 5, liilil Ysimilar to that described in our copending application tor v and 17.

Automatic Apparatus for Operating Business Machines, Serial No. 690,999,tiled October 14, 1957, now Patent No. 2,894,614. Unless otherwiseindicated the various structural elements utilized in the instantapparatus, such as the tape 'feed mechanism, reading head,primary-secondary valve unit, the typewriter and its key actuators, aswell as the symbols employed in the instant circuit diagram, may besimilar to those respectively shown and` described in the last mentionedcopeuding application. One particular type or" pneumatic valve which isnot described in said copending application and which is used here willbe described lirst.

The booster valve l@ shown in FiG. l comprises a frame member 11 havinga vertical leg i2 that defines the 'body portion oi an impulse typevalve 13. A cooperating pneumatic pouch actuator 14 of conventionalconstruction is mounted on the horizontal leg l5 of said frame member.The said valve i3 is the same in all respects as a conventionalpneumatic impulse valve except that the one shown in FIG. l has twooutput lines l() and 17 instead of one. Here the operating arm lil ofthe valve is provided with the two paris i9 and 2? which arerespectively adapted to normally overlie and pneumatically block theopenings at the ends o said lines 16 The upper end of the impulse valveoperating arm 1S is connected, by means of link 2l, to the upper end oithe arm 22 of said pouch actuator 14; thus the operation of the pouchactuator ld through line 23 serves to displace the valve arm 18 in aclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. l, thereby initiating anatmospheric pressure impulse in both of the valve output lines le and17.

The symbol used in the circuit diagram for the booster valve ill isshown in FIG. 2. Booster valves such as that just described may beutilized in the hereinafter described circuitry to boost or amplify anygiven signal pressure impulse. lf said impulse is initially strong anddoes not have to travel through too long a distance in pressure conduitsthen such a booster valve may not be needed. They are here included toinsure that the control pressure impulses initiated by the instantdecoding devices will be etectively strengthened so as to properlyoperate the various other valves in the system as will be explainedbelow.

The circuit diagram for the instant system is illustrated in FIG. 3 andas noted above the various symbols used are the same as those describedin said Patent 2,894,614. The ve ports if@ through 44 of the pneumaticreading head 45 respectively communicate with the output lines 46through 5G. Lines 46-5t are respectively connected so as to control oneof the tive primary-secondary valve units P-Sl. through P-SS of theprimary-secondary valve assembly 52. ln that all of saidprimary-secondary valve units P-Sl through P-SS are Videntical adiscussion of one thereof, P-Sl, will sutlice here. Line 46 constitutesa common control line for both the secondary valve 54 and the primaryvalve 55 of the primary-secondary valve unit lLS. The output lines fromsaid secondary and primary valves are designated by arrows lS and lPrespectively. `twill be apparent that the pressures in the output lines1P and 1S are normally sub-atmospheric and atmospheric respectively andthat when an atmospheric pressure impulse is initiated in the controlline do, these pressure conditions will be'respectively. reversed. Theouput lines for the valve units P-S2 through P-SS, corresponding to saidlines 1P and 1S, have been designated as 2P, 2S; 3P, 3S; 4?, 45E-and 5Pand 5S respectively.

The ten output lines from the primary-secondary valve unit 52 arerespectively connected so as to control one or more of the variousblocking valves in each ci two similar decoding units or valveassemblies il and 6i..

The iiow lines of said blocking valves ofthe decoders are interconnectedin series and/or parallel functional relation in .the pattern shown.Here, each of said blocking valvesis numbered the same as the line whichcontrols it;A said control ,lines being omitted from'the circuit diagramfor the sake of clarity. For example, all the 'blocking valves numberedSPVare controlled by the said mary-secondary valve output line' 3P;similarly, all the blocking valves which are designated as 2S arecontrol-led by said line 2S ofthe valve assembly 52.

It will be seen that due to the above noted normal pressure conditionsin the respective output lines of the primary-secondary valve units PS1through P-SS all the lblocking valves of the decoders 60 and 61 whichare controlled by the pressure conduit lines 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P and 5P, willbe normally open while all the blocking valves controlled by lines 1S,2S, 3S, 4S and 5S Will be normally closed. Thus as the variousprimary-secondary valve uints P-S1 through P-SS are operated eithersingly or in combination, the respective associated blocking valves ofsaid decoders will be correspondingly opened or closed. An additionalblocking valve 62 is provided in the inlet line 63 of the decoder 6i).This blocking valve is controlled by an external control line 62 whichWill be discussed below, again for convenience said valve being numberedthe same as the line which controls it. Assuming for a moment that theblocking valve 62 is open, each -time the decoder V60 receives a groupof coded pressureimpulses from valve assembly 52, said decoder will bethereby operated so as to pneumatically connect the said inlet line 63with one, and only one, of the various output lines 65 'of the decoder50. Each of the output lines 65 is connected so' as to opeate one of thepouch actuators 66 for either the type bar' o r the function con trollinkages of the typewriter "67. Any of the lines 65 which are not neededor required for the' operation of the particular typewriter used inthesystem may' be plugged or otherwise blocked as indicated at 68.A

The elements 72, 73, 75, 76 and 78 associated with the decoder 61respectively correspond to the above described elements 62, 63, 65, 66and 68 associated with said decoder 60. Lines 62 and 72 which eiectivelyconytrol the operation of decoders 60 and 61 respectively, are connectedto the respective output lines or ports of the pneumatic on-ol valves 80and 31 which are controlled by a pair of booster valves S2 and 83. Thebooster valves 82 and 83 are respectively controlled, as shown, by theoutput lines 65a and 75a of the decoders 60 and 61 respectively. Theoutput lines 90 and 91 of booster valve 82 are `respectively connectedto the oit control port of the on-ol valve 80 and the on control port ofthe onoi valve 81. ln similar fashion the output lines 92 and 93 fromthe booster valve 83 are respectively Vconnected to the oL port of saidon-ol valve S1 and the on port of said'on-o valve 80. l

in operation it will be assumed that the on-off valve Y S isinitially inthe on condition thereby leaving the on-ot valve 81 in the oitcondition. VHere the blocking valve 62 will be opened thereby permittingthe operation ofl the decoder 60 while blocking valve 72 will be closedthereby preventing the elTective operation ofthe .decoder 61. As theperforated record 95 is moved over the reading head 45 a plurality ofsuccessive groups of pressure impulses will be initiated in therespective lines Y 46 50, the pressure impulses of each successive grouprespectively corresponding to the number and distribution of holes ineach successive transverse row of coded holes punched in said record.Said groups of impulses operate the various related primary-secondaryvalve units P-Sl through P-SS which in turn will serially condition thedecoder 60 so that a succession of; atmospheric pressu-re impulsesarevinitiated in the various output lines 65 coi: decoder 60. Duringthis operation of decoder 60 the Y blocking valves of decoder 61 willalso be operated by the said primary-secondary valve units, however noout- 4 put signals are initiated in the output lines 7S because theblocking valve 72 in the inlet line 73 of this decoder is closed.

When it is desired to initiate successive pressure impulses in any ofthe output lines 75 of decoder 61, a predetermined precedence or shiftcode which has been punched in the record will cause the primary-secondary valve assembly to operate the decoder 60 so that a pressureimpulse is initiated in the decoder output line 65a.- Her'e theresultant operation of the booster valve 82 will initiate' `anatmospheric pressure impulse in the control lines 'Siti and 91 wherebythe on-ot Valve 80 is operated td its olf condition and on-otf valve 31is operated to its n' condition. As a result the blocking valve 62 willbecome closed and blocking valve 72 opened. By so disabling the decoder6K0 and enabling the decoder 61 subsequent operation of theprimary-secondary valve assembly 52 will cause pressure impulses to beinitiated in the output lines 75 of decoder 61. Here the blocking valvesof decoder 60 will also be operated but no pressure impulses will beinitiated in the output lines 65 in that inlet blocking valve 62 of thisdecoder is closedi When it is desired to again initiate pressureimpulses in the output lines 65 of decoder 6i? a predeterminedprecedence or shift code in the record will cause the pri mary-secondaryvalve assembly to operate the decoder 61 so that a pressure impulse isinitiated in the output line 75a. This will operate the booster valve 83which in turn will cause the on-ol valves 80 and 81 to be operated totheir on and oi conditions respectively. As a result the decoder 61 willbe disabled by the closing of the blocking valve 72 and decoder 60 willagain be enabled by the opening of the blocking valve 62.

y using the above described arrangement the operation of up to sixtydifferent outputlines 65, 75, and associated pouch actuators 66, 76, maybe controlled by the use of a tive level code. This permits thecontrolling of a power operated typewriter having more than thirtytwooperating linkages by means of a standard type tive level communicationscode. It will be apparent that the principles of the instant inventionmay be used in electrical as well as pneumatic systems and that saidprinciples may be applied with equal eliicacy Where codes having six,seven or more levels are employed.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in PEG. 4. Herea single tive channel pneumatic decoder is provided which is similar toeither of the decoders 60, 61 of FIG.4v 3 except that here there is noblocking valve in the inlet line 101 thereof such as is provided at 62and 72 of the said decoders 60, 61. Two of the output lines 102 and 103from the decoder are respectively connected to two booster valves 104and 105 which control the operation of the two on-oi valves 106 and 107in a manner identical to that described above for the booster valves 82and 83 of FIG. 3. The remaining output lines 110 of the decoder arerespectively connected to the inlet lines 111 of the two Way valve means112. Each of the said inlet lines V111 is connected to a pair of outputlines 113, 114 through blocking valves 115 and 116 respectively. Theblocking valves 115 and 116 are respectively controlled by the outputlines 115, 116 of said on-otfvalves 106 and 107; the blocking valvesagain for convenience being considered to include the line or lines bywhich said valves are respectively controlled. The two selectivelyoperable groups of output lines 113, 114 are connected so as torespectively operate the different pouch actuators 120 of the typewriterunit 121.

In the operation of the device illustrated in FIG. 4, when the on-oifvalve 106 is in the on condition, blocking valves 115 will be open andany pressure impulses initiated in the output lines 110 of the decoder100 will be transmitted through the output lines 113 of the tWoway valvemeans 112. During this period of operation the on-ol lvalve 107 is inthe oft condition and hence blocking valves 116 of valve means 112 willremain closed. When it is desired to selectively initiate pressureimpulses in the output lines 114 ofthe two-way valve means, a precedencepressure impulse is initiated in the output line 102 of decoder 100whereby the operative conditions of on-off valves 186 and 107 will bereversed; thus closing the blocking Valves 115 and opening the blockingvalves 116. Thereafter pressure impulses from decoder 100 will now betransmitted through lines 111, valves 116 and out through the outputlines 114. When it is desired to again selectively initiate pressureimpulses in the said lines 113 a precedence pressure impulse isinitiated in the decoder output line 103 so that the operative conditionof said on-ot valves 106, 197 is again reversed whereby bloclc'ug valves115 will be opened and blocking valves 116 closed.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousvariations and modifications may be made in the particular constructionwithout departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It istherefore desired, by the following claim, to include within the scopeof the invention all such variations and modifications wherebysubstantially the results of the invention may be obtained by the use ofsubstantially the same or equivalent means.

The invention claimed is:

In a pneumatically controlled data processing system; means forinitiating a plurality of coded pneumatic pressure impulses, a pluralityof pneumatic blocking Valves functionally arranged in series andparallel relation so as to form a decoding means, said coded impulsescontrolling the operation of said blocking valves, a plurality ofactuators, a rst group of valves adapted to pneumatically connect someof said actuators to thev output lines of said decoding means, a secondgroup of valves adapted to pneumatically connect the other of saidactuators to the same output lines of said decoder, pneumatic controlmeans for alternately conditioning said two groups of valves to open andclosed conditions, said pneumatic control means comprising a pair ofpneumatic on-otl valves operative to open the valves of said iirst groupand close the valves of said second group and then to close the valvesof said rst group and open the valves of said second group, and meansfor pneumatically connecting said pair of on-otf valves to two outputlines of said decoding means whereby pressure impulses alternatelyinitiated in said two output linesserve to reverse the operativeconditions of said on-ot valves and to thereby control which of saidactuators are pneumatically coupled to the said loutput lines of saiddecoding means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,351,663 Clark June 20, 1944. 2,865,487 Hildebrandt Dec. 23, 19582,894,614 Lambert et al. July 14, l959

